Europe & Eurasia
Mon, Dec 20, 2021
2021: DFRLab’s year in review
The DFRLab's 2021 year in review: disinformation campaigns, troll farms, troop buildups, vaccine rumors, a failed insurrection, and more.
by Andy Carvin
Fri, Dec 17, 2021
Russia continues to expand military presence near Ukraine border
Satellite imagery and open-source evidence reveals ongoing Russian buildup along their border with Ukrain
Thu, Dec 16, 2021
Scammers use Telegram and Facebook ads to sell fake COVID certificates in Ukraine
Telegram hosts Ukrainian channels and accounts claiming to sell legitimate vaccine certificates, while FB ads are exploited to promote them.
Thu, Dec 16, 2021
Ukrainian Facebook account-renting scheme migrates to TikTok and Telegram
Ukrainian TikTok, Telegram, and Instagram accounts offer easy money to Facebook users willing to rent their accounts for advertising.
Fri, Dec 10, 2021
Evidence shows Russia and Belarus holding paratrooper drill near Lithuanian border
The DFRLab geolocated the joint military drill as taking place just 15 kilometers from the Lithuanian border.
Wed, Dec 8, 2021
How Russia is placing troops and equipment near the Ukraine border
Open-source evidence throughout 2021 shows Russian military buildup along Ukraine’s eastern borders and in Crimea.
Wed, Nov 24, 2021
How RT DE spread COVID misinformation on YouTube
YouTube banned RT DE in September 2021 after the Russian network revived an old channel to avoid an initial suspension.
Mon, Nov 15, 2021
Suspicious Twitter accounts amplified hashtags ahead of Polish nationalist march
Accounts promoting a nationalist march in Poland exhibited multiple indicators raising questions of their authenticity.
Tue, Sep 21, 2021
Navalny’s “Smart Voting” election campaign undermined by fake apps and Telegram channels
Apps and Telegram channels impersonated their pro-Navalny counterparts, potentially redirecting voters away from strategic voting advice
Fri, Jul 23, 2021
Online calls for attacks against Georgia’s LGBTQ community result in offline violence
Anti-LGBTQ, pro-Kremlin groups, and representatives of the Orthodox Church mobilized people online for violence in real life
Thu, Jun 3, 2021
Inauthentic Facebook assets promoted Russian interests in Sudan
Network with links to Russia’s Internet Research Agency promoted oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russian naval presence in Sudan
by Tessa Knight
Sun, Feb 14, 2021
Weaponized: How rumors about COVID-19’s origins led to a narrative arms race
A joint research project from the Digital Forensic Research Lab and the Associate Press on information environments during the first six months of COVID-19.